Generally, one well-known hydrocarbon conversion process is a catalytic reforming process. Catalytic reforming is typically employed in the petroleum refining industry for improving the octane quality of hydrocarbon feedstocks, the primary product of reforming being a motor gasoline blending component or a source of aromatics for petrochemicals.
One exemplary reforming process is a “hybrid” reforming process. Such a hybrid reforming process generally includes at least one fixed reaction zone and at least one moving bed reaction zone. Generally, such units are created during the retrofit of, e.g., a fixed bed reaction process, by adding a moving bed reactor and accompanying regeneration vessel. Typically, the halogen content of the moving bed catalyst reaction zone is controlled by adding a halogen-containing material, such as a chloride, during catalyst regeneration. As such, the moving bed catalyst generally does not become depleted in chloride.
However, the moving bed reaction zone can be a source of hydrogen chloride for the gas recycled to the fixed bed reaction zone. Generally, the fixed bed catalyst and the moving bed catalyst have different chloride retention properties. As a result, the typical operating conditions of a hybrid reforming unit can result in the transfer of chloride from the recycled gas onto the fixed-bed catalyst. Generally, the amount transferred can be in excess of the amount needed to replace the chloride loss in the product streams from the fixed bed reaction zone, even with no added chloride to the fixed bed reactor zone. An over-chlorided catalyst can result in decreased hydrogen and reformate yield and shortened fixed-bed cycle length. As a result, the fixed bed reaction zone can have an undesirable accumulated level of chloride than is desired for optimal performance.
Moreover, imbalance in the catalyst chloride level between the fixed bed catalyst being too high and the moving bed catalyst being at or below the target chloride content can be worsened if any of the following happens:                Surface area of the fixed-bed catalyst is higher than the surface area of the moving bed catalyst due to the higher regeneration frequency of the recirculating catalyst;        The weighted average bed temperature (WABT) of the fixed bed catalyst is operated at a lower WABT then the moving bed catalyst at the start of production to extend the fixed bed catalyst cycle length; and        The fixed-bed catalyst has better chloride retention properties than the moving bed catalyst due to the inherent property differences of the finished catalyst, due to, e.g., the alumina carrier and the manufacturing method.        
Typical hybrid systems have shortcomings in failing to control, independently, the halide, such as chloride, content of the fixed-bed catalyst and the moving bed catalyst. Generally, hybrid systems fail to provide any control for the chloride content of the fixed bed catalyst. Consequently, current hybrid reforming systems fail to provide an independent control of the chloride levels in the fixed-bed reaction zone and the moving bed reaction zone.